We’re in June, and the view from the Cheap Seats is looking at the MLB pace of play. It is time to put a limit on mound visits by catchers, coaches and managers. Nothing gums up the beauty and flow of batter versus pitcher, like the trip to the pitcher’s mound. It’s not to be expected that they get rid of that bit of strategy all together, but a limit has to be placed upon it. The temptation to over use these visits has to be taken away from all involved to help the game.
Cheap Seats: Pace of Play and Mound Visits
As it is stated now, there are only restrictions by the manager to go out only three times and once per inning, per pitcher. That does not restrict the catcher from going out by himself, or the pitching coach making an additional trip too. This is all too regularly used to buy time for the bullpen to get ready. Which is ridiculous. All managers should be held accountable for forecasting what could happen, and have their arms ready to go.
A maximum of three mound visits per game should be the rule. This would not include pitching changes. This also means that any kind of strategy or signal changes the catcher needs to go over would be taken care of at the pitching change. There is also loads of time in the dugout between innings, and pregame, obviously. If the game goes to extra innings, like time outs, managers would be awarded one extra visit.
Not only would this shorten the time of the games, this rule would also keep the flow of the game itself going. Fans can absorb a few mound visits, but multiple ones can lose the viewer. In this day and age of multi-channels, and various other media outlets, the key is to keep the viewer on your channel. A reach for the remote, because the catcher and pitcher can’t decide what two fingers mean is ridiculous.
I have been, and always will be, a baseball purist. Get rid of the DH, unplug any clock, showboating is for the NBA and let the game police itself. There are times, though, that you have to change with the times. Keeping the flow of the game moving at a faster pace is paramount. If a little tweak here and there helps to keep MLB a fan favorite, and not an aging game that bores the younger generation, then it’s worth a try. Besides, how many times do we need to see the battery mates whisper about the fact that they’re about to pitch around another batter until the lefty is warm in the pen.
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